Sports

Big B co-owns IPTL team Singapore Slammers

Singapore: Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan announced on Thursday that he will be the co-owner of International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) franchise OUE Singapore Slammers.

Bachchan will make a courtside appearance on December 20 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on the final day of the season. He will also be interacting with fans during the course of the day, according to a release.

Slammers, co-owned by the UD Group and Bachchan, are one of the five teams competing in the second edition of the IPTL.

Singapore will host the final leg of the competition from December 18-20 to determine who will be the champions for 2015.

“My work schedule allows me to only be there for one day, but I’m confident the Singapore Slammers will be playing in the final. I’m also really looking forward to hanging out with members of our clan, the #SlammersNation,” Bachchan said in a release.

“I’d like to invite my fans and tennis fans alike to come spend the day with me at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.”

Chairman Prateek Gupta said: “For us, the IPTL and Slammers is as much about entertaining the fans as it is about winning that trophy. In Bachchan, we found a kindred spirit who believes in that aim.

“Moreover, his commitment to the sport of tennis means that he will be a crucial driver of our Junior Slammers programme as well. We look forward to creating a winning team with a true Indian icon.”

Andy Murray, Stanislas Wawrinka, Nick Kyrgios, Dustin Brown, Carlos Moya, Marcelo Melo, Karolina Pliskova and Belinda Bencic are part of Slammers.

Joining the Slammers at the Singapore Indoor Stadium will be the UAE Royals, Indian Aces, Philippine Mavericks and Japan Warriors — the newest addition to the season — bringing 35 of the world’s top tennis stars into town for the three-day five-city league climax.